The Most Wonderful Time of the Year PART 1

It's the most wonderful time of the year...the holiday music, decorating the Christmas tree, hot chocolate and hot apple cider, baking, crafts with my son, family, Christmas pageants, the twinklilng lights, wrapping gifts, and watching the best Christmas movies Hollywood has to offer.

From Clark W. Griswold willing his family to have the hap-hap-happiest old-fashioned family Christmas there ever was...

to Buddy the Elf denouncing Gimbell's Santa for sitting on a throne of lies...

to Kevin McAllister's great love for cheese pizza...

to the Italian "fra-gee-leh" leg lamp and Santa crushing Ralphie's hopes and dreams with one line, "You'll shoot you're eye out, kid"...

to Bing Crosby dancing and singing with Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen at a quaint inn in Vermont at Christmas time...

What's not to love?  As much fun as all these things are, though, they don't come close to the #1 reason for loving this time of year:  celebrating Jesus Christ coming into this world!

I want my son to have fun with all the holiday cheer, but above all else, it's important that he knows the true meaning behind Christmas.  To quote one of his favorite holiday board books from last year, What is Christmas by Michelle Medlock Adams,

Okay, now I get it.

Santa Claus and Christmas trees and presents are okay.

But Jesus is the real reason we have a Christmas Day!

During the Advent season, we eagerly and expectantly wait for the hope and miracle of the Christ child being born, celebrating all along the way.  Our son is old enough to understand this now.  So, what did I decide to do?  You'll have to stick around for next time to find out!  Let's just say I got a little crafty...